Patient Education Program

What You Should Know About Common Duct Stricture

What You Should Know About Gallbladder Attack

What is a common duct stricture or cancer?

The Common Bile Duct drains the Liver, and the Gallbladder. It also merges with the pancreatic duct, which drains enzymes needed to absorb proteins. The anatomy is complicated and several possibilities are presented in Meditoons help you understand your situation.

What are the signs and symptoms?

  1. Jaundice: Often the appearance of jaundice, without significant pain or infection is the presenting sign.

What can cause a common duct obstruction?

  1. Gall Stones
  2. Cancer
  3. Strictures
  4. Inflammation

How is this treated?

Often, we just don’t know for sure what is causing the blockage: It could be a stone, a stricture, or a cancer. Fortunately, many stones can be removed utilizing a special Procedure called ERCP (Endoscopic Retrograde Cholandio-pancreatogram), and a tumor can be ‘stented’ to decompress the bile build up, and treat the jaundice.

The ERCP can biopsy the blockage, decompress the biliary tree, remove any stones. This is a necessary step to plan surgery.

 
MEDITOONS™ ARE DESIGNED TO BE USED IN CONSULTATION WITH YOUR PHYSICIAN. THEY ARE NOT DESIGNED TO ENCOURAGE SELF-DIAGNOSIS OR TREATMENT. PLEASE CHECK WITH A PHYSICIAN PROMPTLY IF YOU SUSPECT YOU ARE ILL.